New Delhi, Dec 9 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly reacted to remarks made by Rahul Gandhi, senior Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, who alleged that the Chief Election Commissioner of India was appointed after the Chief Justice of India was removed from the selection panel.

Responding sharply, the BJP asked, “Can Rahul Gandhi name one Election Commissioner during the Congress government who was chosen by a committee that included either the Chief Justice of India or the Leader of the Opposition?”

On its official X handle, the BJP wrote: “The committee was created temporarily until a new law was enacted. Until then, Congress Prime Ministers directly appointed Election Commissioners.” The party further questioned Gandhi’s memory of the UPA era, stating, “Did Rahul Gandhi forget his own government’s record? In 2005, Sonia Gandhi appointed Navin Chawla as Election Commissioner. What authority did Sonia Gandhi have?”

The BJP also recalled that in 2012, when a new Chief Election Commissioner was to be appointed ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, senior BJP leader LK Advani had suggested the creation of a collegium for the selection process. “Congress ignored the suggestion and directly appointed VS Sampath as CEC, securing immediate clearance from President Pratibha Patil,” the post said.

The party added that the Opposition was not even consulted during such appointments. “Today, the Leader of the Opposition is part of the committee to select the CEC. Instead of constructively assisting in the process, Rahul Gandhi indulges only in drama,” the BJP asserted.

During the debate on electoral reforms—often referred to by Congress as the debate on SIR (Special Intensive Revision)—Rahul Gandhi raised pointed questions. “Why was the Chief Justice of India removed from the selection panel of the Election Commissioner? What motivation could there be to remove the CJI? Do we not believe in the CJI? Of course, we do. Then why is he not in the room?”

Gandhi elaborated further: “I sit in that room. It is called a democratic decision, but on one side sit Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, and on the other side, the Leader of the Opposition. I have no voice in that room. What they decide is what happens. Why are the Prime Minister and Amit Shah so keen on choosing exactly who the Election Commissioner will be?”

He went on to allege: “This is unprecedented. No Prime Minister has ever done this in India’s history. In December 2025, this government changed the law to ensure that no Election Commissioner could be punished for any action taken while in office. Why would the Prime Minister and Home Minister give such immunity? Why grant a privilege that no Prime Minister has ever given before?”

Making a sharp remark against the BJP in his speech, Gandhi declared: “There is no bigger anti-national act than stealing votes.”

–IANS

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